Food Production Operative Salary in East
Official ONS earnings for East, covering 12,000 jobs.
Median salary — East
£29,794
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 6.6% change on the previous year
Mean
£30,274
Jobs measured
12,000
What a typical food production operative takes home
On the median of £29,794, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,081
Take-home a year
£24,972
Income Tax
£3,445
National Insurance
£1,378
What most food production operatives actually earn
Half of food production operatives in East earn between £26,142 and £36,940. Earning above £36,940 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Process Operatives” group in East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of food production operatives earn less than this.
How East ranks for food production operative pay
3rd
of 10 GB regions with a published figure
North East tops the table on £31,175 and Wales sits at the bottom on £27,927. East is £1,381 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Food, drink and tobacco process operatives
- SOC 2020 code
- 8111
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “food production operative” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Food, drink and tobacco process operatives”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures food, drink and tobacco process operatives.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Food Production Operative salary FAQs
What is the average Food Production Operative salary in East?
The median is £29,794 a year and the mean is £30,274, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a food production operative earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £14.04 excluding overtime, or £14.30 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for East.
What is a good Food Production Operative salary?
Half of food production operatives earn between £26,142 and £36,940. Anything above £36,940 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a food production operative?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of food production operatives earn under £19,932 and the lowest quarter under £26,142 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do food production operatives in East earn more than the UK average?
The median in East is £29,794 against £29,258 across the UK, 1.8% higher, which places it 3rd highest of the 10 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has food production operative pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +6.6% for this occupation in East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many food production operatives are there in East?
ASHE counts around 12,000 employee jobs in “Food, drink and tobacco process operatives” (SOC 8111) in East. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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